


I'm ready to suffer (and I'm ready to hope)

by gingergenower



Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Angst, One Shot, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Short One Shot, there's always room for hope
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-06
Updated: 2016-09-06
Packaged: 2018-08-13 11:18:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 355
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7974922
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gingergenower/pseuds/gingergenower
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve doesn't ask many questions.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I'm ready to suffer (and I'm ready to hope)

Steve doesn’t ask many questions.

On the march back from the HYDRA camp, Bucky’s legs buckled under him because he didn’t know if they’d ever stop walking and his muscles didn’t feel right, aching and overstretched like growing pains. Steve caught him under the armpits and hauled him back to his feet, throwing Bucky’s arm over his shoulders to take most of his weight, and kept him walking. Bucky should quit playing up, he’d said, they’d only walked six miles. Bucky threw back that he signed up for a war, not a goddamn nature stroll, and Steve laughed. The men nearest to them looked too tired to even comprehend laughter.

Twenty minutes later, Bucky was walking on his own again, and Steve never asked him what Zola did to him. Sometimes, Bucky mentioned something like he’d told Steve everything, and Steve didn’t flinch. He let Bucky talk if he wanted, and back on the field nothing changed because Steve never thought he and Bucky would change.

He squeezes Bucky’s shoulder, and smiles at him, tired and scared and sad, but that’s a face Bucky’s worn. Before the serum, Steve got beat up and pneumonia like every time he didn’t die he proved something. Every other day Bucky was relieved they’d made it through, and he always asked the questions (‘really, punk? _Really_? The hell was that?’).

They’re in Wakanda. He’s got a few hours before they’re ready to put him back on ice, and there’s nothing different between them- they’re a century older, and Steve still doesn’t ask. He keeps his questions to himself, and they must be crushing him internally because they have ten names next to the Winter Soldier’s, only ten, and Steve must know that’s not all there is and he’s not afraid of the truth like Bucky is. He’s twiddling his thumbs together, eyes avoiding Bucky.

After all this time, it’s still Bucky he’s afraid of hurting.

“I don’t remember much after I fell,” he starts. Steve looks at him, and swallows, and yeah, maybe he’s a little bit scared of the truth.

Well. At least they can be scared together.

**Author's Note:**

> Title taken from lyrics of the song ‘Shake It Out’ by Florence and the Machine. If you’re so inclined, give the Glee version a go. It’s the one I listen to.


End file.
